McClory: Boaters, know the rules of the water, please!

When you spend as much time on the water as we do you are bound to run into the “Captain of the Ship” who doesn’t have a clue about the rules of the water.Easily identifiable as they closely buzz by within 200 feet of shore, they are the ones in a headway-speed-only zone at full throttle throwing a vicious wake that can easily capsize your rowboat or kayak.This boater won’t understand that a person paddling along in a kayak or tacking in a sailboat has the right of way on navigable waters, especially within the shoreline safety zone.Headway speed is not just simply slowing down. It is defined as the minimum speed necessary to maintain control of your vessel and is allowed within the 200 foot mark. These rules are common sense safety rules that everyone who operates a boat should know and are just a few of the basic water safe rules every captain should know.Everyone who plans to operate a watercraft should take boater safety courses, which are offered free of charge through the Mass Environmental Police or through Coast Guard Auxiliary for a small fee.Check either website for a list of course dates and times. The course is very worthwhile and should be taken by every boater.uThe 2010 Antlerless Deer Permit Drawing was held July 28 at the Gardner Rod and Gun Club.If the last digit of your Hunting or Sporting License matches a number drawn for the Wildlife Management Zone for which you applied, you will receive a white postcard notification that you are eligible for an Antlerless Deer Permit for that WMZ.This postcard is not a permit. To obtain the antlerless deer permit by the beginning of the archery season, the card and $5 fee must be returned by Sept. 3 to “MassWildlife FHQ, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, 01581.If you match the Partial Number, the number of randomly selected applicants is indicated.For zone 1, winning numbers are 2, 5, 9 partial 1 (76/118); zone 2: 4, partial 9 (93/107); zone 3: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, partial 9 (71/239); zone 4N: 2, 6, partial 8 (38/169); zone 4S: 3, 6, partial 9 (9/124); zone 5: 0, 1, 2, 6, partial 5 (105/308); zone 6: 0, 1, 3, 7, 8, partial 9 (2/83); zone 7: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, partial 8 (29/293); zone 8: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 partial 5 (171/396); zone 12: 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, partial 5 (6/109).All numbers in zones 9, 10, 11, 13, 14 will get a permit.uOn the salt water front from the Kittery Report, Kay Moulton’s daughter Martha from Surfland Tackle on Plum Island reports “The fishing has been variable.”Bluefishing in the mouth of the river has been pretty good. Decent sized blues were taken with trollers using Rapalas and umbrella rigs. They also seem to be chopping the drifted mackerel in two with great frequency.”Pete Santini at Fishing FINatics in Everett reports lots of tuna off Egg Rock, the bluefish were concentrated around Minot’s Light, tuna fishing at the Southwest Corner of Stellwagen Bank is very good and stripers around Deer and Georges Islands are hitting well on Santini Tube-n-Worm rigs.uAttention Maine hunters, just like last year, the Maine Department of Fish and Wildlife will no longer mail paper applications. Interested hunters and guys like myself that missed the mail-in deadline must apply online. The process is quick and easy. I just did it and it took only five minutes, and I got an instant confirmation of my entry into the lottery. If you are planning on hunting Maine this year you still have time to apply for any deer permit on line. Don’t wait! Here’s the web address, www.state.me.us/ifw/ The deadline to apply on line is Aug. 16.Don McClory is The Item’s outdoors columnist